Cork rod forming machine and method



, R. P. SMITH ET AL CORK ROD FORMING MACHINE AND METHOD July 10, 1951 14Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 22, 1948 M K S) A H E P H M N O T A R T m N E5 E T P mmm W mwu -m I E mmm T R /l R r: IL E W Q m m N3 :8 m3 6m @om IwQm mwm n 5 mm July 10, 1951 R. P. SMITH ET AL CORK ROD FORMING MACHINEAND METHOD Filed April 22, 1948 14 Sheets-Sheet 2 fiTTORNEY- .By M, 1951R. P. SMITH ET AL 2,560,491

CORK ROD FORMING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed April 22, 1948 14 Sheets-Sheet5 14 7 I 2/ (a8 I INVENTORS, ROBERT P SMITH AND FRED EL/AMES,

JBYA MQ/Q.

My 1951 R. P. SMITH ET AL CORK ROD FORMING MACHINE AND METHOD 14Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 22. 1948 HIE? INVENTORS, Pose-RT P SMITH ANDfiTORNEY.

FRED E. JAM

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TTORNEY- y my 1951 R. P. SMITH ET AL 2,560,493

' CORK ROD FORMING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed April 22, 1948 14Sheets-Sheet 7 'IIIIHEHIII'II y |IIIIIHIH "5, mar-r" a;

- flmmg Th INVENTORS,

ROBERT P SMITH AND FRED E. JAMEs,

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July 10, 1951 R. P. SMITH ETAL 2,560,493

CORK ROD FORMING MACHINE AND METHOD 7 Filed April 22, 1948 '14 Sheets-Sheet 9 I W 3 4') g i 1 Z 9 5 .mmll il ROBERT PSMITH AND Fm-zo EJAMN,Y M?! TTORNEI. v

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.fiuly 10, 1951 R. P. SMITH ET AL CORK ROD FORMING MACHINE AND METHODFiled A ril 22, 1948 14 Sheets-Sheet 11 L)! INVENTORS) ROBERT F? 5mm mvoFRED E JAMES,

flr-rormex y 1951 R. P. SMITH ETAL CORK ROD FORMING MACHINE AND METHODl4 Sheets$heet 12 Filed April 22, 1948 INVENTORS) ROBER+ P SMITH ANDFRED E. JAMEs, wv/wwd.

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July 10, 1951 R. P. SMITH ETAL 2,560,49H

CORK ROD FORMING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed April 22, 1948 14 Sheets-Sheet15 Imvsurons, 7 ROBERT F? 3mm mm FRED E. JAMES, IBYMZ 4 1 5- 4 ;4 W3 45sfiTTORNEY.

y 1951 R. P. SMITH ET AL 2,560,491

coax ROD FORMING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed April 22, 1948 14 Sheets-Sheet14 INVENTORS, Roesnr F. SMITH mm FRED E James, .EY .fiF'TORNEY- PatentedJuly 10, 1951 CQRK BOD FORMING MACHINE AND METHOD Robert IL- Smith andFred E. James,0rawfordszville,;1nd., ,assignors to The Ho sier .Qrown'Corporation, Crawfordsville, Ind, .a corpora- .tionofilndia ApplicationApril 22, 1948, Serial No. ,22,,5 84

1 8- Claims.

Thisinvention relates to ail-apparatus for the forming of cork materiainto an endless cylindrical-or rod length' fromwhichflength-there;may"be sliced o'fi uniform thickness of --material toform discs in thenature of gaskets =tozbe-used :as liners in crowns orbottle cap topsito effect "a sealing betweenthe crown andwthebottle-mouth. One of the'big problemsin-the forming of thesecrown discsout of cork material is :to form'a disc-which willbe uniform in corkparticle arrangement and :also have "a uniform density throughout its'entire area-otherwise an imperfect seal islikely'to result.Itisnecessary that the entire area and thickness of the 'disc'be free"of voids or zones wherein there 'is 'lesscork-than in adjacent zones orareas so that when :the crown is compressed or rather'pressedon-the endof thebottle, there wilrbe a uniform "pressure throughout :the entirecontact or the cork 'disc around the edge of the mouth o'fthe'bottle.

"One of theimportantobjects of'the present invention is to-form acontinuouslength of cork as a rod from which the individual discs maybesliced into uniform thicknesses, and in*each:f which discs there-isahomogeneous arrangement of particles and also a constant densitythroughout the entire "cross sectional area. In other words thereis=promoted a uniform structurecaus- 'ing a 'better sealing when in usebetween the bottle crown and thebottle.

Aiurther important object of theinvention is "to provide anextremelyfiexible contro'l of ahydraulic system of operation ;of the entiremachine.

In reference toprior known devices for forming-cork rod, once themachine is started in operation, it is almost necessary to continue :itthroughoutithe124.,hoursof the day rather than to shut it downgbecauseof the cost involved .in starting the line up, andthe manythings :suchas clearing the machine and cleaning .it out .when 1 you stopqit. Now,with ,our new Zhydraulicoper- "ated machine, all of these ,problems aree1im inated. The machine can be started and stQI Ded at will. Themachine can'be emptied ,by the ;simple,pro,cess of passing through emptymoldsin the machine.in other words, b merelyshutting OffjthB cork supplyand continuing ,the .machinejn "operation until all of thecorkhas beenejected ,from the coolingsectionof the conduit. There- ;tore, ourmachine can .bestarted each morning and operated for 8,hours or .16hours, whatever 'the case might be, and put the operation to no.disa'dvantage as "compared with an extrusion .prqcess. Neverthelesawhena.rod of ,corlsjirom 20 to 2,4 inches long, .maybe formed asinheretofore employed processes, a loss of probably as ,much as flfloneachendof thatrodsometimes as much as -1", which .is a direct throw-away,,is had. Through ,the cutting operation. an accumulation of waste isgained andthe wastejinthe use of short rods .becomessucha iactor that itisiimpossible to put it back through and reprocess,-

drawings, in which,

Fig. 1,:-is a view inside elevation in adiagramniatic representation rof.a structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is atop-plan =view of thatstructure;

"Fig. '3, a view on .an-enlarged .scale from the rrear -side in respectto Figs. 1 and .2 of the .cork compressing unit;

Fig. 4, a detail on a further enlarged-soale'on a diametrica-l section:on :the line 4-4 in Fig. 3 through to the mold strip lift cylinder;

Fig. 5, a detail on a further enlarged scale in central 'verticalsection through the upper portion of the top pressure cylinder;

Fig. 6, a view in vertical section on the line "6--6 "in'Fig. 3;

Fig. '7, a verticalsection on an enlarged scale through the side packcylinder on the line IF-"1;

Fig.8, a detail inhorizontal section on-theline 88 in Fig. 6;

"Fig. 9, a'vertical section on line 9--9 inFig. 6;

Fig. 10, a horizontal transverse sectionon an enlarged scale on the line1-0-40 in Fig. '9;

Fig. '11, a transverse vertical section onthe line H-ll in'Fig.10;

Fig. 12, a vertical section on the'line ll-12 in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13, a similar section to'that's'hown-inFig. '11, but-spaced furtheralong the heating-cooling conduit to be in that portion'thereof acrossthe cooling part, as indicated in that position "by a :transverse planeon the'line -l3l3 in Fig. '14;

Fig. 14,-a view inside elevationof the discharge end of the device andshowing the return mold strip belt :apparatus;

Fig. 15,.a side elevation of the-driving endof the moldstrip returnbelt;

' guiding plates.50 and Fig. 16, a view in top plan of the discharge endof the machine;

Fig. 17, a bottom plan view of that end structure shown in Fig. 16;

Fig. 18, a view in vertical section on the line !8l8 in Fig; 16;

Fig. 19, a view in vertical section on the line |9|9 in Fig. 16;

Fig. 20, a view in vertical section on the line 2620 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 21, a view in horizontal section on the line 2l-2l in Fig. 6;

Fig. 22, a detail in side elevation of the granular cork material feedinto the molding machine;

Fig. 23, a view in side elevation of the reverse side of the valvehousing as shown in Fig. 22;

Fig. 24, a detail on an enlarged scale in section on the line 24-24 inFig. 22;

Fig. 25, a view in side elevation of the shaft driven by the cylinderillustrated in Fig. 4 to con- Y trol the lift of the mold strips andalso to control the feeding mechanism shown in Fig. 22;

Fig. 26, a detail on an enlarged scale in central vertical sectionthrough a combined primary hydraulic valve control and a constantpressure maintenance device;

Fig. 27, a view in transverse vertical section on the line 21-21 in Fig.26;

Fig. 28, a diagrammatic view in top plan with the cover removed of themajor control valve illustrated in Fig. 26; and

Fig. 29, a hydraulic flow and operating diagram. 7

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews in the drawings.

Upon any suitable floor area 30, Figs. 1 and 2, there are positionedspaced apart sills 3| and 32. Across the top sides of these sills 3| and32, herein shown as I beams, there are fixed in longitudinally spacedapart relation a pair of side plates 33 and 34. These plates 33 and 34support therebetween a bolster 35, Fig. 9, this bolster consisting inthe present showing of a vertically disposed metal plate. Across theback sides of the plates 33 and 34 is attached a tie bar 36a, Fig. 3.

From the outer sides respectively of the side members 33 and 34 thereextended upwardly the frame members 36 and 31. The upper ends of thesemembers 36 and 31 are interconnected by a horizontally disposedtransverse header 38.

- Then from the outer ends of this header 38 and as continuations of theframe members 36 and '31 there are fixed the diagonally inwardlyextending braces 39 and 46 respectively to in turn interconnect by theirupper ends with the base member 4 I.

Secured by their lower ends to this member 4| are a number of posts 42and 43a which extend vertically upwardly in spaced relation to engage bytheir upper ends with the lower cylinder head 43 of the top packcylinder 44. This cylinder 44 extends on above the lower head 43 to beclosed by the top head 45.

The cylinder 44 contains a piston 46 from which extends downwardly apiston rod 41 to pass through the lower head 43 through a packing gland48 and to extend on down through a guide provided in the member 4|, andto detachably connect with a packing plunger 49.

' This packing plunger 49 is generally rectilinear in shape and isreceived between front and back These plates extend across and havetheir ends attached to the end plates 33 and 34. The lower ends of theseside 4 plates 56 and 5| are secured in fixed relation to thehorizontally disposed members 52 and 53 which in turn have their endssecured to the respective plates 33 and 34. The members 52 and 53 arespaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between the plates 50 and5!, Fig. 6.

Under the transverse member 52 is held in fixed relation a mold stripretaining and locating bar 54, the ends of which are secured to thplates 33 and 34.

A plurality of mold strips 55 are employed. Each of these mold strips 55is identical with all other mold strips both as to shape and as to alldimensions. Each mold strip 55 is generally rectangular in shape incross-section with a semi-cylindrical cavity 56 enterin the strip fromone vertical face and having the outer margins of that cavity featheringas much as may be practical to stand up in usage into the top and bottomfaces of the strip itself. Each mold strip 55 has a length which willpermit it to fit slidingly between the plates 33 and 34, Fig. 9. Thecloser the margins of the cylindrical cavity designated by the numeral56 coincide with the top and bottom faces of the mold strip 55 the lesswaste there will need to be trimmed from the finished rod of cork. Thiswill become apparent later in the description.

Mold strips 55 are fed (by means herinafter to be described) in alongitudinal manner one after the other across from the outer side ofthe .plate 34 between top and bottom heated plates 51 and 58respectively. These plates 51 and 58 extend horizontally in spaced apartrelation to interconnect by their respective ends with the verticalmembers 33 and 34. The spacing apart of these plates 51 and 58 is madeto be such that the mold strips 55 may be slidingly received freelytherebetween. As best indicated in Fig. 1, the mold strips 55 enter overthe bottom plate 58 in fore and aft spaced relation, on lines parallelone with the other and substantially equally distant from the centerline of the bolster 35.

On the rear side of the structure, and above the sill 3|, is mounted ahorizontally disposed mold strip lifting actuating cylinder 59. Withinthis cylinder 59 is a piston 66 having a connecting rod 6! fixed theretoand extending horizontally toward the bolster 35 to interconnect with ahead 62. This head 62 is slidingly guided by a transverse bar 63interengaged by its end portions with the plates 33 and 34.

Rockably carried between the plates 33 and 34 is a horizontally disposedshaft 64. This shaft 64 is below the head 62, Fig. 6, and has fixedthereon a lever 65 the outer end of which is rounded to fit within aslot provided in the underside of the head 62. Referring to Fig. 25, theshaft 64 is viewed from the underside so that the underside portion onlyof the lever 65 is shown there which surrounds and engages the shaft 64.This lever 65 is substantially centered longitudinally of the shaft 64.

Then spaced from each side of the lever 65. longitudinally of the shaft64, are levers 66 and 61 respectively. The free ends of the levers 66and 61 are spaced around the shaft 64 in relation to the free end of thelever 65 a distance exceeding slightly degrees.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 20, and also Fig. 9, there is mounted insliding relation on each side of the center bolster 35 verticallydisposed plates 68 and 69 which are interconnected across their lowerportions by an intervening block 16. This block 10 slightly exceeds thethickness of the 'or metering compartment 86'.

bolster 35 so that the plates 68 and 69 may freely slide verticallyalong the respective outer faces of the bolster 35. The interconnectionof the plates 68 and 89 with the block 19 is made in any suitablemanner, herein shown as by a plurality of rivets I I. The plate 69 isprovided with recesses I2 which match pockets I3 and I4- provided in theintervening block 19, Fig.' 9. The vertical ends of these plates 98 and69 are guided in vertically disposed grooves 13a and Ma provided in theplates 33 and 34.

In to these recesses I2 in the plate 99, extend the ends of the levers66 and 6?. Thus by reciprocation of the piston 60, the shaft 64 isrocked to alternately raise and lower the plates 68 and 59 in unison.When these plates 68 and 69 are in their lowermost positions, their edgeportions will be at levels not to exceed the plane of the top faces ofthe lower top plates 58, a plate 58 being positioned on each side ofthese vertically disposed plates 68 and 99 a sufficient distance apartto allow these plates 68 and 69 to enter freely therebetween, Fig. 20.In the uppermost permissible limit of travel of these plates 68 and 69,mold strips 55 slide laterally over the plates 58 toward the bolster 35when these elevating plates 68 and 59 are in their lowest positions, andwill then have carried the respective mold strips 55,

one over each plate 88 and 59, upwardly along and in sliding contactwith the respective vertical faces of the bolster 35, and thereaboveuntil the top faces of the two respective strips 55 will come intocontact with the underside of the transverse member 52 on the one side,and against the fixed transverse member 53 under the plate 5I on theother side. As indicated in Fig. 29,

these two mold strips 55 will be presented with their concave facesopposite one another, but spaced apart the thickness of the bolster 35.In order that the upward travel of the plates 58 and 69 be perfectlyadjusted to prevent damage to any of the parts, and still to correctlypresent and position the mold strips 55 against the undersides of themembers 52 and 53, these are provided travel limits in the nature ofadjustable set screws 16, Fig. 9, herein shown as two in number, and asscrew-threadedly passing vertically upwardly through the spacing block19 to have upper ends come into contact with the underside of thebolster 35. Furthermore the travel of the shaft 85 is controlled byrelative adjustment of the head 82 on the end of the connecting rod BI,and further adjustment is provided to equalize or rather present thelevers 66 and 61 at exactly the same angles to the plates 68 and 69 bymeans of an adjustment of the lever 61. This adjustment is best shown inFigs. 22 and 25 wherein the lever 51 is rockably carried by the shaft 64and has an ear I! extending outwardly along an ear 18 of a lever fixedto the shaft rod. This previously prepared cork material is fed down thechute 85 by gravity to a measurin This housing 86 in a bracket on theside wall 89.

, 6 has a horizontal length substantially equal to the space between thevertical frame plates 33 and 34.

A shaft 8'! is rotatably carried to have its bearings in the end walls88 and 89 of this housing 86. Inside of the housing 86 the shaft 81carries a number of blades 99, 9|, 92, and 93, to extend radially fromthe axis of the shaft. The outer edges of these blades come in closeproximity to the inside wall of the housing 89, primarily on the upperand lower sides thereof. From the lower, rearside of the housing 86,there extends a downwardly and rearwardly turned mouth piece 94, fromwhich leads a chute 95 diagonally downwardly to have its lower end openinto a window 96 which extends entirely, horizontally across the plate50.

In the upper forward portion of the housing 86 there is disposed,horizontally thereacross, a rock shaft 97. Across the opposite side ofthe upper portion of the housing to extend within the discharge openingarea from the chute B5 is positioned in a fixed manner an invertedL-shaped baflle 98. Then, as best shown in Fig. 6, a shiftable gate 99is supported in a fixed manner by any such means as by a lever I99 fromthe shaft 91 so that upward travel of the gate 99 may permit it totravel under and back of the baffle 98. Downward travel of the gate 99will ormay bring it into the paths of the outer portions of the blades99, 9|, 92, and 93. The shaft 81 will be revolved in a clockwisedirection, in respect to Fig. 6, so that as the blades come around upunder the gate 99, it may be pushed upwardly to permit the blades totravel on past in their normal circumferential travel.

Referring to Fig. 22, the shaft 9'! extends outwardly through thehousing wall 88 to carry thereon in an adjustable manner a lever HMwhich hangs downwardly to be in the path of an adjustable stop screw I92which may be screwthreadedly advanced or retracted through 3, lug I93attached to the housing wall 88, and locked in any desired position bymeans of the wing nut I94. This stop screw I92 limits the downwardtravel of the bailie 99.

Also in Fig. 22, there is shown. mounted on the outer end of the shaft8'! first a dog wheel I95 having four notches I98 evenly spacedtherearound, one notch for each of the blades 98, SI, 92, and 93 withinthe housing. This dog wheel I95 is fixed to the shaft SI. Outside of thewheel I95 there is revolubly mounted on the shaft 8'! a hub I8? which isa part of a head I93, which in turn carries a pawl I99 to hangdownwardly from an upper portion thereof. and have its lower end in thepath of the notches I95. A spring I I9 normally urges the pawl I99 intocontact with the peripheral portion of the wheel I85. This structureforms a ratchet mechanism such that by rocking the head I98 relativelyupwardly and downwardly, the Wheel I95 may be advanced in a clockwisedirection the distance between two adjacent notches for each up and downtravel. In the path of the lower portion of the head I98 is mounted abumper pin H I which is resiliently positioned by means of a spring I I2carried with- Likewise there is a bumper pin H3 carried the side. wall88 .and normally urged upwardly by means of a A substantially verticallydisposed shaftjtw rockably interconnects by its upper end' by means of apin II1 with the lower portion of the head I08, and rockablyinterconnects by means of a pin II8 with a lever member H9 at its lowerend. This lever H9 is rockably mounted on a pin I supported by anupturned end of a bracket I2I in turn attached to the sill 32, Figs. 22and 24.

From the shaft 64 there is carried in a generally downwardly projectingmanner a lever I22 fixed to turn with that shaft. The outer end portionof this lever I22 is provided with a slot I23 through which a pin I24may be adjustably fixed in reference to the radial length of the slotI23 in respect to the distance from the axis of the shaft 64. Aconnecting rod I25 is rockably positioned on the outer end of the pinI24 by one end and rockably connected through a pin I26 at the other endwith a lever I21 that is normally free to rock around the pivot pin I20,Fig. 24. That is, the lever, I21 is free to slide across the face of thelever II9, both being rockable on the same pin I26.

A latch arm I28 is rockable on the pin I29 carried transversely of thelever I21 to have a lower foot I36 normally entering through a windowI3I in the lever I21 and a window I32 in the lever H9, so that both ofthese levers II9 and I21 will have to rock as a unit on the pin I20. Anoperating arm I33 extends from the latch arm I28 outwardly to have anupturned quadrant I34 to be in the path of a pin I35 normally urgeddownwardly from the end of the pin I26 by means of a spring I36. Theouter end of the pin I35 is herein shown as being provided with a pointI31 which may drop selectively into the notches I38, the latchedposition, or into the notch I39 which is the unlatchedposition as thearm I33 might be pulled upwardly in order to release the lever I21 fromdriving connection with the lever He. that the metering feed mechanismfor supplying cork to the machine may be stopped at will should there beany difficulty encountered at any time, or should there be an absence ofmold strips 55 in the packing positions.

Now in order to keep the shaft 81 from spinning during the ratchetoperations, there is provided on the outside of the meter housing wall89 a brake wheel I l-6, fixed on the shaft 81, around which is wrapped alength of brake lining I 4!, one end being fixed by the pin I42 inreference to the wall 69, and the other end of the lining I4I extendingdownwardly to a strap I 43 from which is suspended freely a weight I44to apply the desired amount of friction to the wheel I to preventturning of the shaft 81 upon each of the ratchet steps being completed.

The entire mechanism is hydraulically operated, preferably by oil underpressure. The details of the hydraulic system will be explained later,but in order to follow through the steps consecutively, it will first beassumed that oil is being supplied under the required pressure into thehead 45 of the cylinder 44 tending to urge the piston 46 downwardly.This downward travel of the connecting rod 41 from the piston 46 willcarry the packing plunger 49 downwardly. Normally, as indicated in Fig.6, the under edge portion of the plunger 49, when the piston 46 is inthe upper part of the cylinder 44 will be located at or possiblyslightly above the upper edge portion of the window 96. Furthermore itwill be assumed that a definite amount of the cork material to whichreference was above made will have been dropped down the chute 95 toenter This latch structure is provided so.

into the space between the plates 50 and 5| under the plunger 49.

The piston 46 travels downwardly to force the plunger 49 downwardlyuntil its lower end is at the bottom level of the two cross members 52and 53, which is at the plane of the top surfaces of the two opposedmold trips 55 thereunder. Thus the cork material will be compressedthroughout the entire longitudinal length of these two mold strips 55 toforce the material within the opposing cavities of the strips. Theamount of cork material dropped down the chute is regulated to permitthis complete compression of the cork material within that space. As isnoted in Fig. 6, the two opposing mold strips 55 are spaced apart onefrom the other the thickness of the plunger During the downward travelof the connecting rod 41 as above described, this connecting rod 41 willlower a lever I46 by means of a pin I41 fixed to the connecting rod andentering the bifurcated end of the lever I46. This lever I46 is pivotedabout the pin I48 in a fixed bracket I49 carried by the frame member M,Fig. 6. This lever I46 is interconnected through a lost motionconnection comprising a pin I50 carried through a slot I5I of a link I52which is rockably attached to the lower end of a valve operating rodI53. This rod I53 enters the valve I54 to connect with a slide I55 whichtravels over a plurality of ports, I56, I51, and I58, leaving a fourthport I59 always open. This port I59 is always in communication with apipe I60 which leads from a main control valve I6I. By travel of theslide I55, oil entering the valve I54 may be selectively fed into eitherof the ports I56 or I58. The central port I51 serves as an exhaust portin communication with the pipe I62.

Therefore, when the slide I55 is pushed upwardly to uncover the portI58, oil carried into the valve I54 from the port I59 will flowoutwardly through the port I58 into the pipe I63 which connects with thetop of the cylinder I64.

Within this cylinder I64 is a piston I65 from which extends a connectingrod I66 vertically downwardly to interconnect with a head I61. This headI61 is immediately forward of the tie bar 36a. The head I 61 rockablreceives an outer end of a lever I68 which is fixed to a shaft I 69rockably carried horizontally between the side frame members 33 and 34.On this shaft I69 is one or more downwardly turned levers I10, hereinshown as two in number, the lower ends of which levers engage within arecess I1I respectively provided in the top side of a side pack plateI12. The forward face of this plate I12 serves as the abutment againstwhich the right hand mold strip 55, Figs. 6 and 20 bear. Furthermorethis member I12 is slidingly fitted under the member 53 and over the topof the right hand hot plate 51, more clearly illustrated in Fig. 20.

Therefore, downward travel of the connecting rod I66, rocks the shaft I69, to force the packer plate I12 forwardly to carry the back mold strip55 forwardly to come into contact and be stopped by contact with theforward mold strip 55. Oil exhausts from the lower end of the cylinderI64 through the pipe 50I to the port I56.

In so doing, the cork material which has been previously pressed fromthe top side is now compressed from the horizontal side as the two moldstrips 55 come together. Obviously it is to be seen that this pressureis uniform entirely throughout the length of these mold trips both fromthe top side, and from the horizontal side.

Now, simultaneously with the down travel of the connecting rod I86,there is rocked a lever I13 about a central pivot pin I14 so that theother end of the lever I13 is rocked upwardly to push upwardly a valveactuating rod I15 which enters the valve I16 to move the valve slideI11.

In this valve I16, there is a port I18 which is never covered by theslide I11, and it is through this port I18 that oil under pressureenters the valve from th pipe I19 which leads from the valve I6I. Insequence from that feed supply port I18, are spaced ports I88, I8I, I82which are subject to the control of the slide I11. When the slide I11 ispushed upwardly in the action of the connecting rod I66 just described,oi-l entering the valve through the port I18, will then flow through theport I82 and out into the pipe I84 which interconnects through the headI85 at the outer end of a horizontally disposed cylinder I86 which maybe termed the mold ejector cylinder. Referring primarily to Fig. 9, thiscylinder I86 is mounted to extend horizontally outwardly from theoutside of the sideplate 33. A piston I81 carried within the cylinderI86 has a piston rod I88 extending through the other head I89 to alongitudinally adjustable head I98 which is in the direct path of thethen side by side abutting mold strips 55 containing the compressed corktherewithin.

As the piston I81 is forced toward the head I89 by the oil inflowingfrom the pipe I84, this head I98 travels against the ends of thosecombined or abutting mold strips 55 to carry them on through the sideplate 34, through a window I9I provided therein, which is of justsufficient cross sectional area as to permit the two mold strips to bein sliding contact with the entire contour of that window so that thestrips may not tend to separate laterally one from the other. Thesespecific mold strips 55 are pushed into a tunnel I92 so that their endswill clear the inner face of the plate 34. The length of the cylinderI86 is made to be such as to permit that required degree of travel ofthe connecting rod I88. Then when that operation has been completed,those two mold strips 55 come to rest and remain for an interval in astationary position within this tunnel I92.

Just before the piston I81 reaches its extreme limit of travel to theright, in reference to Fig. 9, it will strike a pin I93 which isslidingly entered through the head I89. This pin I93 through a block I94is fixed toa slide rod I95, to which in turn is clipped a valve stem I96through the clip I91. This valve stem enters the valve I99 to shift ahead I99 by travel thereof. Within the valve I98 and outside of thetravel of the slide I99 is provided a port 288 from which leads a pipe284 to the main control valve I6I. Oil pressure is supplied from thevalve I6I normally through this pipe 284 to enter the valve I98.

Upon the extreme travel of the piston I81 to the right, Fig. 9, theslide I99 will be shifted to uncover a port 28I and to interconnectports 282 and 283. In other words ports 288 and 28I are theninterconnected so that oil entering the valve I99 may fiow out the port28I.

From the port "28I leads. a pipe 285 to ente the outer head 286 of thecylinder 59. Pressure against the outer face of the piston 68 will causethe shaft 64 to lower the lift plates 68 and 69. Simultaneously withthis action, there is the further action by means of a valve rod 281secured to the head 62 actuating .a slide 288 within the valve 289.

Within this valve 289, is a port 2I'8 which is never covered by theslide 288, and which is interconnected with the pipe -2II coming fromthe control valve I6I, to supply oil under pressure to within the valve289.

7 However, previously to this action, and simultaneously with the downtravel of the piston 46 in the cylinder 94, oil under the piston 46 wasforced out through the bottom of the cylinder through the pipe 2I2 toenter into a pipe 2I3 which interconnects respectively across the outer.ends of two pairs of side mold strip feed cylinders 2M9, 2I5 in the onepair, and 256 and 2I1 in the other pair. There is also a pipe 2I8interconnecting the pipe 2I3 with the port 2I9 in the valve 289 so thatwhen the piston 66 is in the position as indicated in Fig. 6, the port2I9 is interconnected then with the port 226, from which leads the pipe22I to exhaust oil. While at this point, it is to be noted that when theslide 288 is in the position as indicated both in Fig. 6 and Fig. 29, aport 222 and covered so that the oil pressure may .fiow from the port2I9 and out to port 222 through the pipe 223 and into the top head 45 ofthe cylinder 94 to supply that pressure which was initially mentioned inthe beginning of describing the downward travel of the piston 46.

Still referring to that initial action when the piston 86 was travelingdownwardly, the various pistons 224, 225 in the cylinders 2M and 2I'5,and pistons 226 and 221 in the cylinders 2 I6 and 2I1 were being drivenrespectively toward each other to carry, Fig. 21, the rectilinearplungers 228, 229, on the left hand side in respect to Fig. 21, and 239and 23I on the other side, all across the top side of the under hotplates 58 and below the top hot plates '51. This travel of theserespective plungers urges the mold strips 55 into abutment one againstthe other and carries them slidingly over the plates 58 to the sides ofthe lift plates 68 and 69. Since but little pressure is required tocarry out this travel, the pipe 213 is bled through the pipe 2I8 intothe exhaust line 22I as has just been described during this operation.

Now returning to the position of the slide 288 in the left handposition, that is when the piston 68 is carried to the left hand end ofthe cylinder 59 in respect to Fig. 6, ports 228 and 222 are theninterconnected and the port 2I9 is opened to communication with the port2I8 for oil supply pressure.

The sequence of operations so far described is then ready to berepeated. It is to be noted in further reference to this valve 269 thatwhen the slide 298 is in the position indicated in both Figs. 6 and 29,and the port 222 is in communication with the oil pressure supplythrough the port 2I8, pressure is not only admitted through the pipe 223to start the down travel of the piston 46, but it is also admittedthrough a branch pipe 234 which interconnects the inner ends of thecylinders 2M and 2I5 and by a side branch pipe 235 to the inner ends ofthe cylinders 216 and 2I1, whereby the pistons 224, 225, on the onehand, and 226, 221 on the other hand are driven outwardly in order topermit more of the mold strips 55 to travel across the then withdrawnplungers 229, 229, and 238, 23L In this respect however but one moldstrip 55 can be fed across between the hot plates 51 and 58 on each sideof the plates 68 and 69 by reason of the fact that the incoming ends ofthe two mold strips will strike the bumper blocks 236 and 231respectively carried by the side frame plate 33. In other words moldstrips tending to be fed inwardly will be held back by reason of theirabutment with these strips then across the hot plates. Exhaust pressurefrom the cylinder 44 is maintained in the outer ends of the cylinders 2I4, 2I5 and 2I6, 2II in the proper timing relation so as to urge theentire quantity of mold strips 55 on both sides of the strips 68 and 69respectively theretoward and to cause the innermost of those strips toenter over the top ends of the lift plates 68 and 69 so that they may befed up in proper sequence all as above described.

Referring particularly to the diagram, Fig. 29, the port I8I of thevalve I16 leads through the exhaust pipe 238 to the primary exhaustreturn line 239. Likewise the exhaust pipes I62, 22I, and an exhaustpipe 240 leading from the port 202 of the valve I98 have a flow throughthis pipe 239 back to an oil supply reservoir 24I.

When the piston I65 is returned to its upper position as indicated inFigs. 6 and 7, the valve stem H is then pulled downwardly so as tointerconnect the ports I8I and I82 in the valve I16. This positioning ofthe valve slide I'I'I then permits oil flow from the pipe I19 throughthe port I18 and out through the port I88 through the pipe 242 into thecylinder I86 in order to force the piston I81 back outwardly towithdrawn the head I90 from across the path of the plunger 49, therebyreturning the plunger 49 to that position as indicated in Fig. 9. Whenthe piston I81 reaches its extreme outer end of travel, it will havecome into contact with the pin 243, Fig. 9, which slidingly entersthrough the head I85, and pushed that pin back out to the position asindicated in Fig. 9, thereby pulling the rod I95 to which the pin 243 isinterconnected by means of the block 244, so as to position the valvestem I96 and its slide I99 to the position as indicated in Fig. 9, readyfor the return stroke of the plunger I98 when the proper time arrives.

This tunnel I92, as previously indicated, is a box-like construction,the cross-sectional area of which is rectangular and is of that areawhich will just permit the two mold strips when they are squeezedtogether to be pushed therethrough without permitting them to separatein any degree.

Referring to Fig. 10, after leaving the window I9I in the member 34, themold strips are pushed one after another down the length of the tunnelI92, to have the strips consecutively pass the reverse travel stopmembers 245 and 246 which have ends entering diagonally inwardly andtoward the direction of travel of the strips through the tunnel. Thesemembers 245 and 246 are respectively rockably mounted outside of thetunnel I92 in blocks 24! and 248 and are urged to have their ends extendinto the tunnel I92, through windows 249 and 250 by means of springs 25Iand 252. Thus when the mold strips are pushed passed the ends of thesemembers 245 and 245, they can not travel backwardl in a reversedirection by reason of their ends coming into abutment with thesemembers 245 and 246. At'the same time by reason of the springs 25I and252 being present, the members 245 and 246 may be pushed outwardly toprovide the necessary clearance for travel of the strips therepast.

This tunnel I92 is rather long, having a length in most instances ofaround 60 feet, of which the initial length of some 40 feet will beheated, and the remaining length cooled. As reviously indicated, thecork granules are intermixed with the plastic or synthetic resin whichrequires heat to cause it to flow and set. Moreover the heat is appliedto the combined mixture of cork and plastic while it is compressedwithin the mold strips to cause vapor or steam to be formed which willtend to release the plastic and cork from clinging engagement with thewalls of the mold strips. In other words, the heat will cause the steamto be formed to supply moisture which will come into contact with themetallic walls of the tWo opposing mold strips 55 and thereby in effectprevent the plastic from adhering to those metal walls.

As best indicated in Figs. 11 and 13, the tunnel I92 is fabricated fromtop and bottom square bars 253 and 254 which are bolted into position inspaced vertical relation between channel members 255 and 256. Thesectional view shown in Fig. 11 is one through the heated portion of thetunnel I92 and the view shown in Fig. 13 is a sectional view through thecooled portion of the tunnel I92.

Side plates 25? and 258 are compressively .drawn up respectively againstthe legs 259 and 260 of the member 255 and the leg 26I and 262 of themember 256.

The top and bottom bars 253 and 254 are held in fixed vertically spacedapart relation one with the other between the channel members 255 and256 by means of the cross bolts 259a and 263. Then the side plates 251and 258 are held against the outer ends of the channel member less ymeans of the top and bottom sets of bolts 264 and 265, Figs. 11, 12 and13. These channel members 255 and 256 as well as the side plates 25'!and 258 together with the intervening top and bottom bars 253 and 254are made in relatively short lengths and assembled in units with endblocks 266 and 26! forming closures between the plate 251 and thechannel 255 so as to form a compartment 268 therebetween, thiscompartment being sufficiently tight so as to hold any suitable fluidsuch as oil which will transmit heat to the wall of the channel member255.

In the same manner, Fig. 10, there are closure blocks 266 and 261 at therespective ends of the plate 258 closing off the space between the plate258 and the wall or web of the channel member 256 to form the closedcompartment 2'II therebetween likewise sufficiently tight to hold theheating medium or heat transferring medium such as oil.

Such assemblies generally designated by the numeral 212 are abutted endto end to form the continuous tunnel I92 therethrough so as to permit aflexibility in achieving the desired length of tunnel I92 which may beused. Furthermore breakin the tunnel up into these separate as-'semblies permits the formation of fluid tight compartments in a morecontrolled manner. Each of the units 212 are joined end to end by meansof cap screws 274 carried through adjacent closure blocks 266 and 26? onthe one side and like blocks on the other side, Fig. 10.

Referring to Figs. 11 and 12, on the inner side faces of each of theplates 25'! and 258 are fixed steam circulating coils 215 and 2'55respectively, these coils having outwardly extending pipe connectionsfor the inlet and exhaust of the steam therethrough. Passage of steamthrough these coils will heat the oil within the compartments betweenthe plates and the channel members so as to transfer heat to the wallsof those channel members 255 and 256 respectively and thereby transmitheat to the mold strips 55 which are be--

